27 July 2007

Listen to This

In chapter Vaeschonan, Moshe Rabbeinu describes the Giving of the Torah and divine Revelation as emanating from a mighty and unceasing voice alluding to the Almighty.

One midrash describes the Voice as consisting of seven voices which in turn were translated into 70 languages, while another explains that this voice is the source ofprophecy in all generations.

The Talmud explains that what distinguished the Revelation in particular was the fact that it took place at the highest level and when Hashem referred to Himself as Anochi, that was a reference to “Ono nafshi ksovis ehovis”, literally – I wrote Myself into it and delivered Myself. This indicates that during Revelation, Hashem revealed Himself to each and every Jew.

Every decree ever enacted by the Sages reveals Hashem’s imprimatur which results from that Voice. Moreover, Hashem’s message was translated into seventy languages.

Thus Torah tells us that the Seven Laws of the Sons of Noah are in no way secondary but are an essential component of that Voice from the Sinai. And the fact that the Jewish people is dispersed among the nations and Jews speak the “seventy languages” indicates the importance attached to the words of Torah transmitted in this or that language. This also has the effect of elevating and sanctifying those languages. The potential for all this was instilled at the Sinai.